Tunneling device



Aug. 5, 1969 H. SCHNABEL, JR

TUNNELING DEVICE Filed June 50, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet L m $2 MMNWR m M m 4 w m S W a MMfiJZWQW /Q ATTORNEY 5 Aug. 5, 1969 H. SCHNABEL, JR 3,459,

TUNNELING DEVICE Filed June 30, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 iv I I I Q a v g T 1 $3 1 HI fi W {K I\ i i i Q 1 I r x L i i- INVENTOR flame) Jam/455.4, Je.

A ORNEYS 969 H. SCHNABEL, JR 3,459,452

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ATTORNEY$ United States Patent O 3,459,452 TUNNELIN G DEVICE Harry Schnabel, Jr., 7010 Longwood Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20034 Filed June 30, 1967, Ser. No. 650,420 Int. Cl. E21b 3/08; E21c 23/00, 29/02 US. Cl. 299-31 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tunneling device capable of boring noncircular holes including a casing with semicircular top and bottom portions and elongated straight sides connecting them. The drilling is achieved by a rotary cutting head which is capable of being moved longitudinally and vertically of the casing to excavate an area at the face of the tunnel corresponding in configuration to the cross section of the casing. Hydraulic rams connected to the casing are employed to urge the casing forwardly into the excavated opening.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tunneling device and more particularly to a device for tunneling which is capable of boring or drilling noncircular holes.

Tunneling machines comprising circular cutting heads are well known in the art. Among the uses for such machines is the drilling of sewers and the like. The machine is advanced into the excavated tunnel and a lining is installed behind it. This assures the structural integrity of the tunnel and also provides a firm surface for the machine to bear against as it urges itself forward. Such machines are highly efiicient in the construction of large circular tunnels Where the full opening made by the machine is retained as the permanent tunnel.

Frequently, however, it is necessary to drill a large tunnel for the installation of conduits of relatively small diameter. For example, where a conduit is installed under a highway, railroad or other structure, it is best installed by tunneling rather than by an open excavation. In such cases, the opening is made oversized so that workmen can enter the tunnel to place the small pipe. The excess space is then backfilled. Although a tunnel of relatively small diameter would be adequate for the pipe, the larger opening is necessary to accommodate the workmen. Preferably the opening is sufiiciently large to permit the workmen to stand erect.

When existing equipment for making circular openings is used to bore tunnels for small pipes, the necessity of providing between five and six feet in height also produces between five and six feet in width. While that amount of height is desirable, the drilling of the excess width is inefficient and wasteful. Not only must more work be expended to dig the extra width, extra reinforcement such as a heavier lining is necessary for the tunnel and a greater volume of backfill is required.

There is thus a distinct need for an efiicient tunneling machine for drilling a noncircular tunnel of greater height than width. Such a tunnel can have a height to permit workmen to stand comfortably but be no wider than necessary to accommodate the drilling equipment, the necessary reinforcing and the workmen.

There are also many situations in which it would be advantageous to install noncircular tunnels where the original full sized opening would be retained without backfilling. Examples are subways, pedestrian tunnels under highways and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the described defi- "ice ciencies of the prior art. It relates to a tunneling machine useful for making noncircular tunnels for various purposes including those specifically mentioned hereinbefore.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved tunneling machine for excavating vertically elongated tunnels.

It is another object to provide such a tunneling machine which is capable of advancing itself through such an opening.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a tunneling machine wherein an oval casing is pushed through the substrata behind a cutting head which is vertically movable with respect to the casing during the drilling operation.

Generally described, the invention is a tunneling machine which includes a hollow elongated casing or shield having spaced top and bottom portions and first and second side walls connecting such portions, the outside distance between the top and bottom portions being greater than the outside distance between the side walls. Preferably the top and bottom portions are semicircular with the side walls being straight to provide an upright oval cross section. The machine also includes drilling means for excavating an area adjacent one end of the casing, support means for supporting the drilling means inside of the casing and power means for operating the drilling means. Further, the machine embodies means for moving the drilling means including means for vertically moving said drilling means alternately up and down in said casing and axial moving means for advancing said drilling means longitudinally of the casing into the substrata. The drilling means defines a cut of such a configuration that the drilling means excavates an area corresponding to the cross section of the casing in response to said movement of said drilling means to permit said casing to be progressively advanced as the drilling proceeds.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical central longitudinal sectional view of the tunneling machine;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 with parts omitted in order to show the hydraulic rams used for advancing the tunneling machine into the substrata;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation of the tunneling machine showing the cutting head;

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevation showing the relation of the slides to the frames; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1 the tunneling machine 2 is illustrated drilling a tunnel through the subsurface strata 4. The machine comprises a vertically elongated casing or shield 6 that includes a semicircular upper portion 8 (FIGURE 3) and a semicircular lower portion 10 connected by straight side walls 12 and 14 to define a generally elongated structure having an upright oval cross section and open at each end.

Mounted within the casing are two reinforcing frames 16 and 18. As best illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 5, these frames are generally of inverted U-shaped configuration. Frame 18, for example, comprises opposed, elongated hollow rectangular legs 20 and 22. These legs are connected along the upper semicircular portion 8 of the casing by a relatively flat elongated channel portion 24. Similarly, frame 16 includes opposed legs 26 and 28 connected by channel 30. The opposed inner surfaces of each set of legs form guides in a manner to be explained.

Leg 20 on frame 18 and corresponding leg 26 on frame 16 support hydraulic rams 32 and 34. Identical hydraulic rams 36 and 38 are supported by leg 22 on frame 18 and corresponding leg 28 on frame 16. When the hydraulic rams are in their fully extended position, their respective piston rods 37 and 39 extend near or beyond the rearmost portion of easing 6 as illustrated at 40 in FIGURE 2 to urge the casing 6 forwardly into the tunnel. In their retracted position the piston rods are within the casing. In FIGURE 1 the piston rods can be seen in engagement with tunnel lining members 42.

As best illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 5, the flat elongated channel portions 24 and 30 on frames 16 and 18 each support depending telescoping hydraulic cylinders 44 and 46. Slides 52 and 54 are supported by piston rods 48 and 50 of cylinders 44 and 46. Since each slide is identical to the other, a description of slide 52 will sufiice as a description for both.

The slides are of rectangular configuration. They comprise front and rear walls 56 and 58 connected by top wall 60 and bottom wall 62. Piston 48 is connected to top wall 60 of slide 52 while piston 50 is connected to the top wall of slide 54.

End walls (not shown) may be provided to join the top and bottom walls 60 and 62 and to provide a bearing surface in engagement with the above mentioned guides on each set of legs. The distance between the ends of walls 60 and 62 is slightly less than the space between the inner surfaces of legs 20 and 22 on frame 18 to accommodate the end walls. If end walls are not provided then top and bottom walls 60 and 62 are of sufiicient length so that their edges are in sliding engagement with the guides on legs 20 and 22. The front and rear walls 56 and 58 of the slide extend beyond the end walls to form flanges 64 to hold the slide in contact with the legs so that it is guided thereby and cannot be accidentally disengaged therefrom.

Slide 54 is of like construction and is held in engagement with the legs of frame 16 in a similar fashion. Thus, it is apparent that as the hydraulic telescoping cylinders 44 and 46 are expanded and contracted, flanged slides 52 and 54 are guided by the opposed legs of frames 16 and 18 in vertical reciprocating movement transversely with respect to the axis of the casing.

Slides 52 and 54 have aligned rectangular openings 70 extending through the slides. Kelly bar 72, a hollow rectangular box, is slidably mounted in the aligned openings 70.

The Kelly bar 72 supports an electric or hydraulic motor 74. The drive shaft 76 for the cutting head 78 is supported by bearings 80 and 82 inside the bar. Rotary power generated by the motor is transferred by the drive shaft to the cutting head. The cutting head can be a cutting wheel, as shown, or an auger, both of which are well known per se and form no part of this invention. Other conventional cutters may be employed. The Kelly bar 72 is connected to the slides 52 and 54 by hydraulic rams 90 and 92 mounted between frames 16 and 18 as shown in FIGURE 1. The cylinder of hydraulic ram 90 is connected to slide 54 and its piston rod 94 is connected to bracket 96 on the Kelly bar. The cylinder of hydraulic ram 92 is connected to slide 52 while its piston rod 98 is connected to bracket 100 on the Kelly bar. The hydraulic rams 90 and 92 are interconnected so that the piston rod of ram 90 is extended when the piston rod of ram 92 is contracted. Thus the Kelly bar 72 is moved forwardly through the openings in the slides to cause the cutting head 78 to engage the face to be drilled. Reversal of rams 90 and 92 causes the cutting head to retreat from the cutting position. If desired, a single double acting hydraulic cylinder may be substituted for the hydraulic rams 90 and 92.

As best illustrated in FIGURE 3, the diameter of the cutting head 78 is substantially the same as the width of the casing 6 and is of the same diameter as the rounded top and bottom portions 8 and of the casing so that the cutting head is able to engage and excavate the entire face of material defined by the casing. The

circular cut defined by the teeth on the cutting head preferably has a diameter slightly greater than the width of the casing so that a hole slightly larger than the casing can be cut. As the cutting head is displaced transversely from the position shown in solid lines in FIGURES 3 and 4 to the position shown in phantom lines the entire cross-sectional area defined by the exterior walls of the casing is traversed by the cutter.

The loose excavated material may be removed from the bottom of the casing by workmen or by any conventional conveyor system.

The operation of the machine is as follows: As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the casing 6 has its forward end in abutment with the material through which it is desired to tunnel. When tunneling through very soft strata, the casing can be forced through the earth. This is achieved by causing the piston rods of hydraulic rams 32, 34, 36 and 38 to engage the lining members 42. When the rams are expanded the force provided will be sufiicient to urge the casing through the substrata as shown in FIG- URE 1. After the casing has advanced into the earth, the pistons are withdrawn into the casing and additional lining can be installed whereupon the piston rods are again extended to urge the casing forward. The lining installed behind the advancing tunneling machine can be made of steel, concrete or other materials as known in the art. If the advancing casing encounters firm material the cutting head is employed to remove it. The use of the cutting head will be explained in the context of boring a tunnel through relatively firm subsurface material although it is not limited to this use.

When boring through firm material such as packed earth, the excavation of the tunnel is accomplished by actuation of hydraulic rams and 92 as the cutting head 78 is rotating to cause the Kelly bar 72 to slide forward through the openings 70 in slide blocks 52 and 54, thus forcing the cutting head to drill into the earth. After the cutting head 78 has advanced as far as is capable under the limitations of the size of the equipment, it is withdrawn by reversal of the hydraulic rams. The drilling mechanism is lowered to one or more intermediate positions in the casing by expansion of hydraulic cylinders 44 and 46 to displace slides 48 and 50. The hydraulic rams 90 and 92 advance the cutter head to the same depth obtained in the first cut. After the intermediate cuts are made, the hydraulic cylinders 44 and 46 are extended to their maximum limitation whereby the slides 52 and 54 and the drilling mechanism are located in the position shown in phantom in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4 whereupon the drilling mechanism is urged forwardly into the earth by hydraulic rams 90 and 92. It is apparent that the opening need not be prepared in the manner just explained but rather the cutting head can be traversed upwardly and downwardly by hydraulic cylinders 44 and 46 and at the same time continually urged into the ground face by hydraulic rams 90 and 92 to drill an opening corresponding in configuration to the cross section of the casing.

As the tunnel is excavated, hydraulic rams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are actuated so that by engagement with tunnel lining members 42 the casing is urged forwardly into the already formed tunnel. The advancement of the casing can be accomplished either by maintaining continuous actuation of the hydraulic rams or they may be operated intermittently as required. As the casing is displaced into the tunnel, additional lining is installed behind it. In some installations the lining is installed inside the rear end of the casing and expanded into engagement with the tunnel wall after the casing moves past the lining. By the described steps, it is possible to dig an upright oval tunnel relatively easily and efiiciently which will result in an opening of ample height to permit a man to stand upright. At the same time, since the opening is narrower than it is high, use of the invention avoids the necessity of removing excess earth along the sides of the tunnel and requires less strength in the lining.

What is claimed is:

1. A tunneling machine comprising:

a hollow elongated shield having spaced top and bottom portions and first and second spaced straight side walls connecting said portions, the outside disstance between said portions being greater than the outside distance between said side walls,

drilling means for excavating an area immediately adjacent one end of said shield,

support means for supporting said drilling means inside of said shield,

power means for operating said drilling means,

means for moving said drilling means including means for vertically moving said drilling means alternately up and down in said shield and axial moving means for advancing said drilling means longitudinally relative to said shield, said drilling means defining a cut of such a configuration that said drilling means excavates an area corresponding to the cross section of said shield in response to said movement of said drilling means to permit said shield to be progressively advanced as the drilling proceeds.

2. A tunneling machine according to claim 1 wherein said top and bottom portions are semi-circular, said side walls are parallel and straight between said semi-circular portions, so that said shield has an upright oval configuration, and said drilling means defines a circular cut corresponding in radius to said top and bottom portions.

3. A tunneling machine according to claim 2 further comprising means connected to the casing to progressively advance said casing into the excavated tunnel.

4. A tunneling machine according to claim 2 further comprising transverse guide means mounted in said shield said vertical moving means including slide means connected to said drilling means and mounted in sliding engagement with said guide means, and

power means connecting said shield to said slide means to vertically move said slide means up and down along said guide means to move said drilling means transversely of said shield.

5. A tunneling machine according to claim 4 wherein a hollow elongated housing is slidably supported by said slide means, said drilling means being carried by said housing, and further comprising power means connecting said housing to said slide means for moving said housing alrlrld said drilling means longitudinally in relation to said s 'eld.

6. A tunneling machine according to claim 5 further comprising transmission means connected to said drilling means and supported within said housing, said power means for operating said drilling means being connected to said housing for driving said transmission means.

7. A tunneling machine according to claim 6 wherein said means for moving said shield includes hydraulic ram means.

8. A tunneling machine according to claim 4 wherein said means defining said transverse guide means include a plurality of frames with opposed legs, said frames being in spaced longitudinal relation within said shield, and said slide means including a plurality of slides engaged between said legs.

9. A tunneling machine according to claim 8 wherein said slides are provided with aligned apertures and further comprises a hollow elongated housing slidably received in said apertures, and means connected to said housing and to said plurality of slides for sliding said housing through said apertures, said drilling means being carried by said housing.

10. A tunneling machine according to claim 2 wherein said means for moving said drilling means includes slide means fixed against longitudinal movement in said shield, and said axial moving means includes a hollow elongated housing extending through said slide means, and power means connected to said slide means and said hollow housing to cause longitudinal sliding movement of said hollow housing with respect to said slide means.

11. A tunneling machine according to claim 10 wherein transmission means is supported within said hollow elongated housing, said power means for driving said drilling means being connected to said housing for driving said transmission means, and said drilling means being operably connected to said transmission means.

12. A tunneling machine comprising a hollow elongated shield having an exterior wall defining a continuous periphery of greater height than width, drilling means movably mounted inside of said shield in a position to protrude slightly beyond one end thereof to excavate the substrata immediately adjacent said one end, and power means for advancing and retracting said drilling means axially relative to said shield and for moving said drilling means transversely in a pre-deterrnined pattern over an area conforming to the configuration of the cross section of said shield to excavate an area corresponding closely to said cross section thereby permitting said shield to be progressively advanced into the excavated tunnel as the drilling proceeds and to conform closely to said tunnel.

13. A tunneling machine according to claim 12 wherein said shield has semi-circular top and bottom wall portions and straight vertical side wall portions connecting said top and bottom wall portions to define an upright oval periphery, said drilling means has a circular cutting face corresponding in radius to said semi-circular portions and is mounted for vertical movement by said power means between said semi-circular portions to excavate the area corresponding to said cross section.

14. A tunneling machine according to claim 13 further comprising power means connected to said shield to progressively advance said shield into the excavated tunnel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 14,454 4/1918 Dean -91 X 3,350,889 11/1967 Sturm 299-33 X 1,645,008 10/ 1927 Holmes 29931 1,800,541 4/ 1931 King 61-85 3,314,725 4/ 1967 Tinlin 2996-2 ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 175-91; 299-33 

